Dental implants provide a number of advantages as a tooth replacement system, like durability and imperviousness to decay or gum disease. Bone naturally grows and attaches to the titanium posts, strengthening the attachment over time, and they don’t cause damage to adjacent teeth. Best of all, an implant and its crown’s life-like appearance can rejuvenate a person’s smile, transforming their appearance and self-image.

But it takes time to complete treatment with dental implants — months of healing and sufficient bone growth to anchor the implant before affixing the permanent crown. If the natural tooth requires extraction first, this may add another step — and more healing time — to the process.

In recent years, though, patients who meet certain criteria are able to shorten the time after a tooth extraction with “immediate” implants. In this case, rather than waiting for the socket to heal following a tooth extraction, the implant is placed directly into the socket immediately after the extraction. Immediate implants thus combine tooth extraction and implantation into one procedure.

For the best results, the extraction must be done very carefully to avoid as little damage as possible to surrounding tissue and bone. It’s also important for the implant to be completely immobilized within the bone with no movement at all. It will stabilize further as bone growth (or ossification) occurs over time.

It’s also possible to attach a provisional crown to the immediate implant for aesthetic purposes. This isn’t the permanent crown that will be affixed after bone growth around the implant; for that reason it’s made in such a way that it doesn’t contact its counterpart tooth in the opposing jaw. Although the implant is completely immobilized mechanically, it’s still not ready for the full forces of normal biting and chewing. After two to three months, the implant should be fully integrated with the surrounding bone and ready for the permanent crown.

Immediate implants are best for the more visible front teeth that encounter less biting force than back teeth. The technique not only reduces healing time, but enables patients to gain an “immediate” aesthetic benefit — and something worth smiling about.

If you would like more information on immediate implants or other dental implant options, please contact us or schedule an appointment for a consultation. You can also learn more about this topic by reading the Dear Doctor magazine article “Immediate Implants.”